Termination of service terming invalid certificate as false
I belong to JAT community from UP. I retired as Lt Col NCC and settled in Bangalore for the last 4 years - having servd in Mysore for 11 years post retirement.
In response to Advt calling applications exclusively from the ex SSCOs for 26 posts of Asst Manager (Security) in Reserve Bank of India with caste based reservations, she applied claiming OBC status linked to her husband who is Kurmi from Bihar by submitting a certificate in specified proforma issued by Tehsildar Allahabad under whose jurisdiction she was staying in her Army Officer husband's official residence in Allahabad cantonment.
Her certificate was scrutinized and found acceptable at the time of interview and also at the time of appointment.
The caste certificate could not be verified by the State caste scrutinize committee at Lucknow as she moved out of station due to her husband's transfer. She was asked to submit certificate based upon her father's caste and address to facilitate verification. The certificate issued in my name i.e. her father's name was submitted to the RBI. This was verified by the issuing authority.
Then she was asked to submit certificate yet gain in HER name. Which she did. This certificate was verified and confirmed genuine by the issuing authority.
During Apr 14 she was served show cause as why her service should not be terminated for submitting invalid caste certificate as the JAT from UP did not appear in the central list of OBC.
Her explanation that her certificate was accepted at the time of interview and also at he time of appointment and that she is daughter of an OBC and aslo wife of PBC both not in creamy layer and Jat caste gets included in central list wef 4 Mar 14 - did not satisfy their requirement.Her service was terminated - as on a reference to NCBC the JAT from UP state were not found included in the central list - therefore her claim of belonging to OBC at the time of appointment was found to be "false" and therefore
She served in the RBI for 5 years and ten months. She was conformed in service provisionally subject to validation of caste certificate. She was also granted house loan. She has very personal appraisal record.
Under the circumstances what are the remedy available to her.
Asked 10 years ago in Labour
I think I could not explain properly.
Pasted below is the draft appeal to the RBI including brief facts of the case in chronological order minus the enclosures as mentioned. After going through , may kindly give your opinion.
Appendix “A”
Refers to letter No. dated Aug 2014
APPEAL AGAINST TERMINATION ORDER: MAJOR (DR) HARINI SIROHI
ASSISTANT MANAGER (SECURITY)
PART I
1. Brief facts of the case are as under:
Date ……. Event
Feb 08 Advertisement appeared inviting applications for the posts of AM(security) in the Reserve Bank of India from ex commissioned officers with 5 years service within the age group of 25 to 40 years as on 01/01/2008. Of the 26 vacancies , 13 were reserved for general category, 04 for SC, 01 for ST; and, 08 for OBC categories. Encl 1 A.
12 /02/ 08 I applied for the post claiming reservation under OBC quota. Encl 2 A.
09 / 04 /08 Received call up letter No. RBSB No. / 03.06.02/2007-08 requiring me to attend interview on 22/05/08 with instructions to bring Original Certificates including Caste Certificate. Encl 3 A
22 /05/08 Permitted to appear for interview in New Delhi after due scrutiny of Original Certificates including OBC Certificate No. 4557 dated 14 May 08 Encl 4 A
30 /05/08 Result of interview announced vide No. RBSN No. 1799/03.06.01/2007-08 recommending my name for appointment to the post. Encl 5 A.
27/06/08 Received Offer of appointment vide CO.DAPM. No. 14131/05.01.08/2007-08 which I accepted. Encl 6 A.
09/09/08 Appointment letter No. CO.DAPM. No. 2987/05.01.08/2008-2009 posting me to Mumbai with instructions to bring among other certificates the OBC Caste Certificate in Original. Encl 7 A
22/09/08 Joined duty in Mumbai Office after satisfying the pre requisite condition of eligibility in all respect including submission of Original OBC Certificate to the satisfaction of the Bank.
22/09/10 Service confirmed vide Mumbai Office Order No. 77/152 . Encl 8 A.
30 /09/10 Vide MO.DAPM. No. 1198 / 06.30.00 / 2010 -11, referring to my OBC Caste Certificate submitted by me at the time of appointment in the bank service, it was advised:
“ we advise that the said certificate is based on your husband’s caste and address which the Scrutiny Committee , Lucknow UP is not able to verify. In the circumstances, you are advised to submit your caste certificate based on your father’s caste and address to enable us to get it verified from the Scrutiny Committee of your State. ” Encl 9 A
Submitted to the Bank Caste certificate No. 2011/C-07311323758 issued by competent authority in the name of my father Encl 10 A.
Feb 13 Orally advised by a staff from the HRMD , Mumbai Office, to submit caste certificate in my name
26/09/13 Submitted to the Bank Caste certificate No. 4362 issued in my name issued by competent authority. Encl 11 A.
21 Oct 13 RBI vide their No. MO.HRMD. No. 1231/06.30.00 / 2011-12 forwarded Caste Certificate issued by Tehsildar Bulandshahr to the District Magistrate Bulandshahr; desiring its verification and confirmation of its genuineness to The Regional Director RBI Mumbai. Encl 12 A
11/11/13 The District Magistrate Bulandshahr verified the Certificate and confirmed its genuineness Encl 13 A
11/04/14 I received letter MO.HRMD. No. 3421/10.26.00/2013-14 , contents reproduced below:
Sub: Class I – Direct Recruitment to the post of AM (security) Verification of Caste Certificate
Madam,
This has reference to the caste certificate dated August 5, 2008 submitted by you which issued by the Tehsildar Bulandshahr. The caste mentioned in the certificate (“JAT”) appears in the State list of UP and not in the Central list of UP state.
On a reference made by the bank to the Ministry of Social justice & Empowerment, Department of Social justice & Empowerment, National Commission for Backward Classes , New Delhi it has been confirmed that the caste mentioned in the caste certificate submitted by you appears in the OBC list of UP State and the same can be accepted for the UP State’s jobs / educational institutions but it is not valid Central Government services / educational institutions . It may be recalled that you had accepted various terms and conditions mentioned in the Bank’s Offer of appointment letter CO. DAPM No. 14131/05.01.08/2007-2008 dated June 27, 2008 including clause XXV which reads as under:
“ and subject to community certificate being verified through the proper channel and if the verification reveals that your claim of belonging to other Backward Classes if found to be false, your services will be terminated forthwith without assigning any reasons and without prejudice to such further action as may be taken under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code for production of false certificate/s.”
In the circumstances stated above you are advised to show cause as to why your services should not be terminated for having submitted as invalid certificate for obtaining caste certificate in the Bank.
You are called upon to reply to the show cause notice in writing and your reply should reach the under signed within 7 days from the date of receipt of this notice, failing which it will construed that that you have nothing to submit in the matter and ipso facto the bank will initiate further action as it deems fit. ”
Encl 14 A
17 /04/14 Briefly stated I submitted:
• I am daughter of an OBC married to an OBC – both not in creamy layer.
• Permitted to appear for interview after due scrutiny of certificates.
• Certificates were verified by respective issuing authorities.
• On 11 Apr 14 vide show cause notice I was told of my caste not being in the Central List.
• No general category candidate denied vacancy because of me.
• I had the certificate issued from Allahabad as my husband was posted in Allahabad and I was residing with him.
• Jats are now included in the Central List as well referring to Gazette notification of 04/3/14 Encl 15 A
24/06/14 Submitted to the Bank once again the Verification details of caste certificate No. 4362 . Encl 16 A
08/08/14 Received Order vide CO.HRMD. No. 2581/05.59.01/2014-15 dated 08.08.14, contents reproduced below:
Sub: Class I – Direct Recruitment to the post of AM (security) Verification of Caste Certificate
Madam,
Please refer to your reply dated 17 Apr 14 to show cause notice issued to you by Mumbai Office on the captioned matter. The explanation submitted by you vide your above referred letter is not found satisfactory by the Bank. You must be aware that your appointment in the bank as a Security Officer Grade A is under the category against the post reserved for OBC candidate and the appointment is provisional and subject to verification of your caste certificate.
At the time of your recruitment you submitted a the caste certificate bearing No. 4557 dated 14.05.2008 issued by Tehsildar Sadar / . The same was forwarded to the District Magistrate Allahabad for verification and in the verification report received from the Director , Backward Class Welfare , Lucknow, it was stated that the caste certificate could not be examined since it was issued as a “wife of” instead of “ daughter of” and the same is outside the purview of the caste verification. It was also stated in the report that the verification of caste certificate is possible only if it is issued on the basis of your father’s caste and address.
Accordingly, you were advised to submit caste certificate on the basis of your father’s caste. Subsequently you submitted your caste certificate bearing No. 4362 dated 05.05.2008 issued by Tehsildar Bulandshahr UP. In the said certificate, your caste is mentioned as “Jat” which is stated to be included in Schedule A of Uttar Pradesh Public services ( reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes Act 1994. However, the said caste was not included in the Central list of OBC for UP State at the time of your recruitment. On a reference made the National Commission for backward Classes, it was confirmed by their letter dated 18 Feb 2014 that the caste certificate submitted by you as per OBC list of UP State and could be accepted for the posts and educational institutions under the State government of UP and the same was not valid for the services and the educational institutions under the Central Government.
Further as per Resolution No. 20012/129/2009-BC – II dated 4th March 2014, Central Government has notified some amendments to the Central list of OBC and “Jat” has been included in the Central list of UP. However as per the said resolution the amendment has come into effect from the date of their publication in the official gazette which is 4th March 2014.
Therefore your claim for belonging to Other Backward Caste at the time of recruitment is found false. As such we are constrained to invoke clause (xxx) of our letter of appointment CO.DAPM.No. 14131/05.01.08/ 2007-2008 dated June 27, 2008 which states as under:
“ The appointment is provisional and subject to the community certificate being verified through the proper channel and if the verification reveals that your claim of belonging to Other Backward Classes and not belonging to Creamy\y Layer is false, your services will be terminated forthwith without assigning any reason and without prejudice to such further action as may be taken under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code for production of false certificate / s”.
Accordingly your service in the Bank is terminated with immediate effect. Encl 17 A
2. I am shocked. My entire family is emotionally distressed. Speed with which extreme action has been taken against me, without giving me opportunity to explain in person my stand, and, the ground on which my service has been terminated has hurt me.
Loss of livelihood and attachment of stigma on my personal reputation
3. The termination of service order has not only unjustly deprived me of my livelihood, but also has attached stigma to my personal reputation, prohibiting me from seeking any job in future; placed me in a financially embarrassing position - I have now to refund Rs 17 Lakh earlier taken towards Housing Loan.
4. It has also emotionally affected my class ten student son staying with me in the separated family accommodation allotted to my Army officer husband who is presently serving in the Counter Insurgency Operational Field Area in J & K .
5. The Show cause notice desired explanation as to why my services should not be terminated for having submitted INVALID caste certificate. My service was terminated terming my claim of belonging to OBC category at the time of appointment as “FALSE” .
Nature of posts of AM (Security) in RBI
6. As per advertisement, during Feb 2008 recruitment drive for the post of AM (Security), the posts were meant exclusively for released commissioned officers with caste based reservation. These posts were not identified with Persons with Disability (PWD) Category considering the functional requirement of the job. The appointment to these posts is also done as a measure of rehabilitation as per government policy
7. The eligibility condition in terms of age, qualification, physical fitness or experience was uniform for all categories which implies that the selection criteria and minimum standard for selection was the same for all categories irrespective of caste.
8. At the time of selection and appointment, I was neither given nor availed any concession or relaxation during the interview based upon my claim of belonging to OBC category either in the eligibility conditions e.g. age, qualification ( in fact I was more than qualified) or experience or physical fitness ) or in minimum standard for selection laid down for the post.
9. Perhaps because of this reason there is no mention in the appointment letter dated 09 September 2008 that I have been selected against the vacancy of OBC candidate.
Appointed on my own merit and not owing to reservation
10. I am a qualified Dental Surgeon besides being former SSC Officer in the Army. My performance during the interview for selection for the post, as well as during my service of 5 years and ten months has been very good.
Names of Candidates declared Successful in the Interview
for the Post of Assistant Manager (Security) in Gr. ‘A’ (OP)
Sr.No. Name Marks obtained in in interview My remarks as per Reservation Register
1 Maj. Dinesh Kumar Sharma 75 UR
2 Maj. Suchet Shrikant Bal 70 Did not join, may be UR or OBC
3 Jitender Kumar Sharma 70 UR
4 Maj (Retd.) Ritu Singh 70 UR
5 Capt. Rajendra Singh Bangari 70 UR
6 Capt. Amit Anil Ringay 70 UR
7 Saroj Kumar Singh 70 UR
8 Maj. Rakesh Mohan Nair 70 UR
9 Maj.Manish Pant 70 UR
10 Lt. Cdr. S N S Srinivas ADC 70 OBC, Did not join in 2008-09.
Joined as fresh candidate on 10 /10/11.
11 Flt. Lt. Swaraj Singh Chaudhary 70 UR
12 Devinder Jit Singh Gill 70 Did not join, may be UR or OBC
13 Sunil Kumar Chahar 70 UR
14 Harini Sirohi 60 OBC
15 Manakkattu Vakeri Zarina 60 OBC
16 Maj. Kundan Lal Pandey 55 Did not join, may be UR
17 Capt. Dharamendra Singh 55 Did not join, may be UR
15. There were 26 vacancies for the post: 13 were reserved for general category, 04 for SC, 01 for ST; and, 08 for OBC categories. Of the 17 selected who were recommended for appointment, five candidates did not either join; or, joined and left the service.
16. With five candidates not joining the post, my place in the merit list moves up in the list of general category for which 13 post were earmarked.
17. I meet the standards laid down for selection as general category candidate for the post. In other words I have been appointed on my own merit and not owing to reservation.
18. In this connection reference is made to DOPT O.M. No.36011/1/98-Estt.(Res) dated 1.7.1998. Vide Chapter 5, Reservation Registers and Roster Register pp 41 para 5.11 downloaded from the DOPT website (Encl 22 A) which reads as under:
“SC/ST/OBC Candidates Appointed on Merit
5.11 SC, ST and OBC candidates in case of direct recruitment and SC and ST candidates in case of promotion, appointed on their own merit and not owing to reservation should not be shown against reserved quota. They will be adjusted against unreserved quota. “”
19. Reference is also made to Appendix to DOPT O.M. No. 36011/6/2010-Estt(Res) dated June, 2010 - Compendium On Reservation For The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes And Other Backward Classes In Services issued Vide No.360 1 1/6/20 10-Estt.(Res) dated 25 Jun 2010 paragraphs 22.1, 22.3 and 22.4 ( Encl 22 B) of which read as under:
“ 22. SC/ST/OBC Candidates Appointed on Their Own Merit:
22.1 SC, ST and OBC candidates in case of direct recruitment and SC and ST candidates in case of promotion, appointed on their own merit and not owing to reservation should not be shown against reserved quota. They will be adjusted against unreserved quota.
22.3 Only such SC/ST/OBC candidates who are selected on the same standard as applied to general candidates shall be treated as own merit candidates. If any SC/ST/OBC candidate is selected by getting any relaxation in age limit, experience qualification, number of permitted chances in written examination, zone of consideration etc., he/she shall be counted against reserved vacancies. Such a candidate cannot be considered for appointment against an unreserved vacancy.
22.4 SC/ST candidates appointed on their own merit (by direct recruitment or promotion) and adjusted against unreserved points will retain their status of SC/ST and will be eligible to get benefit of reservation in future/further promotions, if any.”
20. Reference is also made to the Reservation Registers in respect of Assistant Manager (security)( Encl A) and Assistant Manager (Rajbhasha)(Encl A) extracts appended below:
RESERVATION REGISTER
1. Name of the post: Assistant Manager (Rajbhasha)
2. Method of recruitment : Direct Recruitment All India through open competition
3. Number of posts in the cadre / ( cadre strength) : 57
4. Percentage of reservation prescribed: SCs 15%. St 7.5%, OBC 27%.
Sr
No. Name Date of
appointment Whether
belong to
SC/ST/
OBC /Gen Filled as UR
or as
reserved for SC/ST/OBC Signature
of
appointing
Authority Remarks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 Shri Shyam Sunder 24.01.2007 OBC OBC-1
49 Akhilesh Kumar 26.03.2012 General * UR *OBC passed with General Standard
57 Ms R Suma 01.04.2013 General UR
RESERVATION REGISTER
1. Name of the post: Assistant Manager (security)
2. Method of recruitment : Direct Recruitment All India through open competition
3. Number of posts in the cadre / ( cadre Strength) : 29
4. Percentage of reservation prescribed: SCs 15%. St 7.5%, OBC 27%.
Sr
No. Name Date of
appointment Whether
belong to
SC/ST/
OBC /Gen Filled as UR
or asreserved
for
SC/ST/OBC Signature
Of
appointing
Authority Remarks
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1 Shri Parmindar Singh Sohal 18.06.07 Gen UR
4 Dr Ms Harini Sirohi 2209.08 OBC OBC-1
29 C Balagopal 02.07.12 Gen UR
21. From the above it is seen that the provisions of the OM of 1.7.1998 Chapter 5 have indeed been followed by the Bank in the case of ( Srl No. 49 ) Shri Akhilesh Singh AM (Rajbhasha). But somehow in my case ( Srl No. 4) application of this provision has been missed out resulting in the present situation.
22. Since I was selected on the same standard as applied to general category, I request that I may be adjusted against unreserved category as has been done in the case of Shri Akhilesh Kumar AM(Rajbhasha) who, like me, was also an “OBC passed with General Standard.”
23. I wish I was told by bank that the caste certificate submitted by me was not strictly valid at the time of interview itself, I would have appeared as a general category candidate or appeared subsequently for next interview.
I am daughter of an OBC and wife of an OBC
24. To the best of my knowledge and belief I have submitted correct claim of belonging to OBC category. I am daughter of an OBC. And I am wife of an OBC. I got married on 22 May 1998 to Capt Neeraj Kumar (copy of affidavit enclosed as Encl 18 A) who belongs to Kurmi caste in the State of Bihar.
My father belongs to JAT community in the State of U. P.
Certificates were issued by competent authorities
25. The certificate bearing No. 4557 dated 14.05.2008 that I submitted at the time of appointment was issued by Tehsildar Sadar, Allahabad – an authority competent to issue caste certificate. It was issued in the proforma as prescribed by the Bank. It was issued based upon Certificate No.119 date16/01/2001 issued to me by Tehsildar Nur Sarai, Nalanda Bihar as “ wife of” of captain Neeraj Kumar ( copy enclosed as Encl 19 A).
26. The certificate bearing No. 4557 dated 14.05.2008 was issued as “wife of” as I was married at that point in time; and, was staying with my husband in the official residence, “ C/O Capt Neeraj Kumar , 19 SSB, Selection Centre East, Allahabad”, allotted to him in Allahabad Cantonment where he was posted. Customarily, after marriage I am known as “ wife of” rather than daughter of my father. Accordingly, the competent authority in whose jurisdiction I fell at the time of applying issued the certificate based upon the OBC status of my husband.
27. I was called for interview vide RBI RBSB No. / 03.06.02/2007 dated 9 Apr 2008 extract of para 3 of which reads as under:
Para 3. Please note that you have been called for interview on a provisional basis and if on verification of original documents or otherwise it is found that you do not strictly satisfy the criteria as laid down in the relative advertisement and / or any information furnished in your application is not true / you are not in a position to produce the certificates / documents mentioned above and are also unable to give proper explanation to the satisfaction of the Board for non submission thereof, you may not be entertained for interview by the Board and in that event no travelling allowance may be paid to you.
28. On the day of interview in New Delhi, I submitted the originals of certificates including Caste Certificate No. 4557 along with the Caste Certificate No. 119 dated 16 /01/2001 both certificates issued as “wife of” – one issued in Bihar and other one issued in UP. These were scrutinised by the Scrutiny Board, and all documents were found correct and reaffirmed before I was permitted to appear for the interview on 22 May 2008.
29. Caste Certificate No. 4557 was forwarded by the Bank for verification to the concerned authority in Allahabad who verified as having issued the certificate. The competent authority on being referred by the Bank did not term the certificate is as fake or false. So my claim of belonging to OBC category is not false by any stretch of imagination and I completely deny it.
30. It was on 30 /09/ 2010 (Encl 9 A ) that I was informed that:
“ we advise that the said certificate is based on your husband’s caste and address which the Scrutiny Committee , Lucknow UP is not able to verify. In the circumstances, you are advised to submit your caste certificate based on your father’s caste and address to enable us to get it verified from the Scrutiny Committee of your State. ”
31. From the above it follows that:
(a) The Scrutiny Committee, Lucknow UP was not able to verify the certificate at that time because my husband had moved out of Allahabad on posting to another station.
(b) The Caste certificate No. 4557 based on my husband’s caste that I had submitted at the time of interview and also at the time of appointment was not termed as FALSE.
(c) It was to enable the Bank that I was advised to submit my caste certificate based on my father’s caste and address to get it verified from the Scrutiny Committee of my State.
32. For an employed married woman with father and husband residing / settled in different States - other than their birth place - for reasons of service, it is not clear as to which State she can claim as hers in the context of caste certificate: father’s birth place or his place of settling down ? husbands’ birth place or his State where he is posted ? Or the State where she serves.
33. As advised, I submitted another Caste certificate – this time in my father’s name. This was found correct on verification.
34. However I was desired to submit Caste Certificate in my name as “daughter of” which I did, by submitting to the Bank a copy of the Caste Certificate No. 4362 issued in my name.
35. On 21/10/2013 the Bank forwarded Caste Certificate No.4362 dated 05.05.2008, issued by Tehsildar Bulandshahr, to the District Magistrate Bulandshahr; desiring its “ verification and confirmation of its genuineness” to The Regional Director RBI Mumbai.
36. This certificate was also verified by the issuing authorities as having been issued and was confirmed as genuine as late as 11/11/13.
37. None of the competent authorities ever termed the certificate submitted by me as FALSE. The U.P State Caste Scrutiny Committee could not verify the earlier certificate because my husband was posted out of Allahabad and was no longer in station at the address given in the application.
38. It is only on 11 /04/2014 vide the show cause notice issued on that I was informed that
“ the caste mentioned in the certificate (“JAT”) appears in the State list of UP and not in the Central list of UP state. On a reference made by the bank to the Ministry of Social justice & Empowerment, Department of Social justice & Empowerment, National Commission for Backward Classes , New Delhi it has been confirmed that the caste mentioned in the caste certificate submitted by you appears in the OBC list of UP State and the same can be accepted for the UP state’s jobs / educational institutions but it is not valid for central government services / educational institutions.”.
Even the Show cause notice did not term the Certificate submitted by me as FALSE.
There was no fraud or misleading information submitted by me at any stage for obtaining the appointment.
39. I reiterate that I have not submitted any false or misleading information, false or fake certificate. I am daughter of an OBC and also wife of an OBC .The Certificates submitted by me were issued by the competent authorities. Reference made to the District Magistrate Bulandshahr forwarding Caste Certificate No. 4362 as late as Oct 13 was on 11 Nov 13 found as verified and confirmed genuine.
40. The Caste Certificate No. 4362 dated 05.05.2008 was found invalid only on technical grounds by the NCBC in Feb 2014. It was not false or fake. Hence my claim of belonging to OBC Category is not false. My intention was bonafide and never wrong as I was daughter of OBC and wife of OBC.
No candidate was denied appointment because of my claim of being an OBC
41. At the time of my appointment no candidate was denied appointment because of my claim of being in the OBC category. Also, there has been no complaint by any contender against my being appointed against OBC Category. In fact various category vacancies for post of Asst Manager (Security) in Grade A had gone under subscribed during and after my selection, prompting the Bank to make special recruitment drive as under:
Year General SC ST OBC Total Remarks
Feb 2008 13 04 01 08 26 10 UR & 02 OBC joined.
Encl 1A
Nov 2009 07 04* 03** 07*** 21 * 4 backlog vacancies
** Includes 1 backlog vacancy
*** Includes 6 backlog vacancies Encl 1B
Feb 2011 NIL 04 03 06 13 Special recruitment Drive, Raising the age to 45 years as on1.2.2011. Encl1C
Apr 2011 08 01 01 NIL 10 Encl 1D
Nov
2013 12 09* 03** 10*** 34 *Includes 5 backlog vacancies
** backlog vacancies
*** includes 5 backlog vacancies Encl 1 E
42. From the pattern of the recruitment drive as shown above, it appears that some vacancies reserved for SC/ST/OBCs were not filled and therefore converted to general category. This is also confirmed by Reservation Register (Encl 21 A) downloaded from the website, extract of which is appended below – self explanatory:
Tally as on 31.12.2013 AM (Security)
No. of officers in the cadre
UR SC ST OBC TOTAL
Requirement in recruitment of (29) 16 4 2 7 29
Actual (29) 22 0 1 6 29
Excess/short 6 -4 -1 -1
Sd Sd:
Liaison Officer for SC /ST Liaison Officer OBC
Unblemished record of service
43. I am permanent employee of the Bank with five years ten months of unblemished record of very good service in the Bank and leave record. During my service in the Bank, as well as five years field area service in the Army, I have served with utmost sincerity, honesty and devotion to duty with awareness of God above me. I have been regular on my duty; I have a good leave record and a very good PAR. I deserve sympathetic consideration.
Entitled an inquiry
44. I am permanent / confirmed employee of the Bank. I am entitled to inquiry under Rule 14 of CCS(CCA) Rules 1965 as per DOPT O.M. No. 11012/7/91-Estt (A) dated 19/5/1993 and also under RBI (Staff) Regulation) 1948 before terminating my service which procedure appears to have been missed out in my case. Hence I was denied opportunity to defend; and, principles of natural justice were not followed in my case.
Gender specific complexities
45. I applied for caste certificate almost ten years after getting married. Perception in UP , Bihar – for that matter in the entire country - is that once the daughter is married she does not belong to parents and does not stay in the parental house. This is exactly what has usually been reported in my case by the official who made the inquiry. In his report to the competent authority, he wrote among other points “she is married to ………who belongs to ………… and she does not stay here any more – or words to that effect.
46. Because of this mindset, the process of issue of caste certificate for married women in UP / Bihar- for that matter in the entire country - is very complex as distinguished from that for men. She is a daughter before marriage; and, wife after marriage - referred and treated accordingly even in the matters of issue of caste certificate. It is a culturally ingrained practice in the State Government offices. I had no problem in getting caste certificate issued as “ wife of”. Even the Bank accepted my certificate as “wife of” at the time of recruitment and also at the time of appointment.
It is unique case
47. The posts of AM (Security) are reserved - exclusively for released Commissioned Officers although with caste based reservations but essentially - as a measure of rehabilitation as per government policy. It is a unique case of a married woman being appointed in reserved category based upon husband’s caste and removed from service based upon father’s caste - with perhaps no precedence in the past.
48. It has just happened due to the culturally ingrained practice of linking woman’s status to her husband’s caste. The competent authority in Allahabad (U.P.), where I was residing at the time of submission of application, issued the caste Certificate to me as “wife of”. The Bank accepted my certificate as “wife of” at the time of recruitment and also at the time of appointment. Even as late as 2010, I have been issued the caste certificate as “wife of” in the caste certificate No. CST/D2B08/1/3785 dated 18 Nov 2010, as issued by Block development Officer, District Nalanda (Encl 19 B) and also in the Bank specified proforma by the District Magistrate, Nalanda vide certificate no. 8016 dated 04 Dec 2010 (Encl 19 C).
49. Question of Central list and State list came up only when I was issued the show cause notice in Apr 2014 – never before.
50. In sum :
a) The grounds on which my services have been unjustly terminated attaches stigma to my personal reputation and also prohibits seeking job in future, besides financial embarrassment.
b) The posts of AM (Security) are reserved - exclusively for released Commissioned Officers although with caste based reservations as a measure of rehabilitation as per government policy. The eligibility condition in terms of age, qualification, physical fitness or experience was uniform for all categories which implies that the selection criteria and minimum standard for selection was the same for all categories irrespective of caste.
c) I was appointed on my own merit and not owing to reservation and therefore should not be shown against reserved quota and be adjusted against unreserved quota as per as per DOPT orders on the subject.
d) Criteria for determining caste status for employment by the Central Government is linked to father. Whereas it is linked to the caste of husband in the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The certificates are issued by the designated authorities of the State Governments and hence valid and not false as stated by the Bank.
e) Certificate (s) were issued by competent authorities submitted to Bank who scrutinized every detail and kept me in service for 5 years and ten months by treating me belonging to OBC category.
f) The Certificates were always verified by the competent authorities as having been issued confirming its genuineness. There has never been an error of fact in my submission of information or certificate / s. I have not committed any fraud or misrepresentation.
g) My OBC certificate was issued by competent authority, as “wife of” in conformity with general perception of UP/ Bihar officials that after marriage the guardianship is transferred from father to the husband.
h) No general category candidate or OBC candidate was denied vacancy due to my appointment. There has been no complaint against my having been appointed against any vacancy reserved for OBC. From the pattern of recruitment drive for the post it appears that some vacancies have been converted from OBC to General category.
i) With my very good performance in the interview and upward movement in the merit list, I meet the standards laid down for selection as general category candidate for the post.
j) I am permanent / confirmed employee of the Bank. I am entitled inquiry which procedure appears to have been missed out in my case. I was denied the principles of natural justice before terminating my service.
k) There are gender specific complexities in issue of Caste Certificate and practical difficulties in obtaining it for a married woman whose father as well as husband were / are in jobs with all India Service liability.
l) It is a unique case of a married woman being appointed in the reserved category based upon husband’s caste and being removed from service based upon her father’s caste. It just happened due to the culturally ingrained practice of linking the woman’s status to her husband’s caste.
42. Under the circumstances as explained above, I deserve benefit of doubt and sympathetic consideration on humanitarian grounds.
43. I humbly request that the termination of my service order may please be rescinded and I may be reinstated in service by treating me as “OBC passed with general standard” from the date of my joining service i.e. 22 Sep 2008.
44. Alternately, considering my nearly six years dedicated service in the Bank, I may be considered for appointment in the general category as a fresh candidate by relaxing eligibility conditions of age and I may be kept at the lowest in seniority.
Asked 10 years ago